Chapter 5 - Emmett Had Been Targeted Before
Rafael went back through the last six months.
Once he stopped viewing each event separately, a pattern emerged.
At Easter, Lucille criticized Emmett for crying when a balloon popped.
“Montaro boys should be tougher.”
At a hotel opening, Celina deliberately gave Emmett a place card at the children’s table far from Rafael, then called him spoiled when he refused to sit.
At another family dinner, Derek took away Emmett’s stuffed rabbit and told him:
“Your father can’t protect you from everything.”
Rafael confronted them every time.
But each incident was small enough to look petty afterward.
Lucille always used the same defense:
“We’re trying to make him resilient.”
Rafael began to understand.
They were not primarily disciplining Emmett.
They were testing Rafael.
How quickly would he react?
How publicly?
How aggressively?
The child was the easiest button to push.
May you like
And Lucille knew it.
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